Over one million middle class Minnesotans will pay less in taxes as a result of legislation recently approved by the House, Senate and Governor Dayton that conforms our state tax system to the federal tax system.
This is another positive step towards a fairer, more progressive tax system that pays for the needs and services that make Minnesota such a great place to live, work and raise a family.
If you have not filed your 2013 Minnesota tax return yet, the Department of Revenue is asking filers to wait until April 3 to do so to allow time for changes to be fully implemented. If you already filed, you do not need to do anything right now. The Department of Revenue will examine your return, determine whether you qualify for new tax breaks then send you your refund. If your return cannot be adjusted, they will notify you that you need to file an amended return.
For more information, please visit the Department of Revenue’s website at www.revenue.state.mn.us and click the orange button labeled “Tax Law Changes” for helpful resources. You can also contact me by phone at (651) 296-0171 or by email at rep.david.bly@house.mn with any questions.
We can expect Minnesota’s economy to continue growing right now and into the future thanks to other investments in priorities like our children’s education. Additional funding for K-12 schools, preschool scholarships for low-income families, and all-day Kindergarten for every child are designed to build a highly-skilled, highly-educated workforce that can compete in a global economy.
In order to help every child reach his or her full potential, we need to make sure Minnesota’s teachers are well prepared and able to grow and refine their skills early in their careers. Too many leave the profession after becoming discouraged by our current system.
We need to attract and retain teacher candidates from the top of the class. Even so, our newest teachers will not be perfect as they enter their profession. As a former educator myself, I know teaching is a demanding profession and it takes a couple years to develop a greater competency and skill set needed to effectively meet the needs of individual students.
Minnesota will be well served by taking a more holistic approach to effective teacher preparation and development. Beyond making improvements to the licensure process, all teachers should receive extensive guidance and mentorship from their more experienced colleagues, with regular constructive evaluations to make sure they continue to grow in the profession.
Minnesota’s youth are one of our state’s most important assets. Growing and retaining our pool of effective, competent and compassionate teachers is vital to making sure our children become well-rounded, productive adults that contribute to society. Good training and support will build expertise and win the respect of parents and students.
Some people are quick to criticize our educators, undermining the deserved respect and appreciation we should hold for the challenging work they do every day. Our state’s economy would benefit from turning what many consider a relatively thankless job into a highly-admired and sought after profession. This would go a long way in attracting good candidates and having them to stay in the profession.
With several pieces of legislation on this issue being debated at our state capitol this year, I am hopeful we can make progress and grow our pool of talented educators.